'Beautifully coloured' poppies decorate town

Thousands of poppies have been created by children and volunteers to remember the fallen in a Leicestershire town.

More than 1,000 primary schoolchildren in Shepshed have made "beautifully coloured paper ones", says organiser Gill Moore.

The paper poppies are already on display in the windows of businesses and houses.

But the bigger job for organisers was to create five different displays on Saturday from 15,000 crocheted and knitted poppies - the handiwork of 300 volunteers.

Those behind the Shepshed Community Poppy Project said it was important to "remind children of the past so it never happens again in their lifetime".

Ms Moore, who launched the project in January, said: "It's important to remind the children of the fact that war does happen.

"It does take people's lives, and we need to respect them and remember them, and hope that we never have to go through that again."

Ms Moore said the children's poppies had lined the parade route, and the woollen ones had been displayed at the Bull Ring, council offices, the park, Hall Croft and market place.

Volunteer Everlyn Richardson, who was in the military, said the poppies were a "mark of respect and reminded everybody how horrendous war is".

Ms Richardson said "a lot of thought" went into planning a small display, but it "escalated" because of the number of volunteers.

Another volunteer, Tasmin Chamberlain, who crocheted poppies, added: "It's been really nice to see how we have all come together and really nice to see it come to fruition.

"It's quite overwhelming and amazing to see."

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